Presence of HIV-specific CD4+ T-cell responses in HIV-infected subjects with sustained virologic control after highly active antiretroviral therapy.

HIV-specific CD4(+) T-helper cell responses in 40 subjects with chronic infection (CI) who had virus suppression after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were compared with those in 34 subjects treated during primary infection (PI). A CD4(+) T-cell proliferative response to HIV p24 protein was present in 50% of these subjects compared with 79% of subjects treated during PI. The existence of a proliferative response in CI subjects was associated with a higher CD4(+) T-cell count at initiation of HAART, a longer duration of virus suppression, and a higher CD4(+) T-cell count at the time of analysis. These results show that an HIV-specific proliferative response is preferentially observed in treated Cl subjects with CD4(+) T-cell counts of >200/muL. However, in treated Cl subjects with a significant degree of CD4(+) T-cell depletion (<200/muL), it may also be observed in 35% provided that the duration of virus suppression is long enough, which may have implications for future therapeutic strategies.